News and Notes:

Lin-Manuel Miranda Writes Song to Aid Puerto Rico

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has written a musical “love letter” to raise money for hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. The song is set to be released on October 6 and features an array of celebrity artists. From the time the storm hit, Miranda has used Twitter and other social media to reach out passionately to fans and followers to do what they can to help the people of Puerto Rico. Miranda was born and raised in New York after his parents moved to the city from the U.S. territory. He draws a parallel between the plight of Puerto Ricans currently trying to flee the island with the story of Alexander Hamilton, who also fled a hurricane-ravaged island. More details here.For information on how to donate, click here.

Pretty Woman Musical to Make Broadway Bow in 2018

A new musical based on one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time, Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman, will arrive on Broadway following its world premiere stage production in Chicago in the spring of 2018. Pretty Woman will star rising stage, television and film actress Samantha Barks as Vivian opposite Tony Award winner and Grammy Award winner Steve Kazee as Edward. The production will have original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, and a book by Garry Marshall and the film’s screenwriter J.F. Lawton. Two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell will direct and choreograph. Pretty Woman will begin performances on Broadway in the fall of 2018 at a Nederlander Theater to be announced. More details here.

The Cher Show Coming to Broadway in 2018

The Cher Show, a new musical based on the life and career of the singer and actress, is Broadway-bound. The show will first open in summer 2018 at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre. Then, in fall of 2018 the new musical plans to open at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre. Cher has a decades-long, multi-faceted career in the entertainment industry, earning a Grammy, Emmy, Academy Award, and three Golden Globes. She’s known for hit songs including “Believe,” “I Got You Babe,” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” She made her own Broadway debut in 1982 in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. More details here.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will make his Broadway debut in Waitress for a 10 week engagement beginning November 3 in the role of Dr. Pomatter. This is not Mraz’s first foray into the Sara Bareilles-penned score; he appeared as a guest artist on the composer’s 2015 album What’s Inside: Songs from Waitress. Mraz won two Grammy Awards in 2010: one for his single “Make It Mine” and another for “Lucky” (a collaboration with Colbie Caillat). He earned two nods the year before for his hit “I’m Yours,” which held the record for the most time spent on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at 76 weeks. His latest album, Yes!, was released in 2014. More details here.